Birdsall, White face meth-related charges

Thursday

Jul 31, 2014 at 7:40 AMJul 31, 2014 at 7:42 AM

By Matthew ManevalTwitter: @mttmanevalHDNHILLSDALE — David Harding Birdsall, 36 and Amy Marie White, 39, both of Hillsdale have been arrested and arraigned on felony charges in connection with the manufacture and delivery of methamphetamine.White was arraigned on three counts including controlled substance-operating/maintaining a laboratory involving methamphetamine, conspiracy to commit controlled substance and possession of methamphetamine. All three are felony charges.Birdsall was arraigned on a total of six counts including five felony charges: Controlled substance-delivery/manufacture of methamphetamine, controlled substance-operating/maintaining a laboratory involving methamphetamine, controlled substance-possession of methamphetamine and weapons-felony firearms.Additionally, Birdsall faces a misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana.Upon the execution of a search warrant at Birdsall's Hillsdale home police found evidence of methamphetamine cooks and laboratory components including lithium strips, Coleman fuel, salt, filters, ammoniacal nitrogen, starter fluid, sulfuric acid and tubing.The felony firearms charges were the result of the discovery of numerous weapons including a pistol, rifle and shotgun, which were all were found in Birdsall’s possession during the commission of alleged felonies.Hillsdale County Sheriff Stanley Burchardt said his department had been working on the case for a week or so."It was a combination of information and observation," said Burchardt. "We got some information and followed up on it."Based on tips officers requested a search warrant.Burchardt said at approximately just before 10 a.m. Tuesday morning the search warrant was issued."Monday night (the investigating officers) had everything they needed," stated Burchardt. "We received information for a possible cook — we’ve been successful in finding evidence and making arrests."Hillsdale County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Rodney Hassinger said anonymous information was used in attaining the search warrant."In dealing with the community, complaints were made about this gentlemen (Birdsall) being involved in methamphetamine," he said. "(Birdsall and White) were buying a lot of sudafedrin (an over-the-counter cold medication which is a main component in meth production)."Hassinger said Birdsall and White's arrests were the culmination of cooperation between his office and the sheriff's department."We started talking about it and (sheriff's department officers) started pulling together information we needed," said Hassinger.Birdsall is an employee of Martinrea in Jonesville and White stated she used to be an employee of Martinrea but has been unemployed and is currently collecting unemployment benefits. Both Birdsall and White stood mute on the charges and requested the court appoint them public defenders.Because the co-defendants are facing what Sanderson called "serious felony charges," bond has been set at $100,000 with 10 percent allowed for Birdsall and at $50,000 with 10 percent allowed for White.Both Birdsall and White will appear in District Court Aug. 6 at 10 a.m. for pretrial examinations.